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Questions and Answers
What is a common explanation for the perception of illness across cultures?
What is a common explanation for the perception of illness across cultures?
How does disgust function as a protective mechanism?
How does disgust function as a protective mechanism?
Which of the following describes a key intuition regarding disease transmission?
Which of the following describes a key intuition regarding disease transmission?
In which stage do children's eating preferences begin shifting towards food separation and neophobia?
In which stage do children's eating preferences begin shifting towards food separation and neophobia?
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What is a common trigger for disgust that universally elicits a reaction?
What is a common trigger for disgust that universally elicits a reaction?
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What is ethnoscience primarily concerned with?
What is ethnoscience primarily concerned with?
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Which of the following is NOT a distinctive property of living things?
Which of the following is NOT a distinctive property of living things?
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Inductive inference in biological taxonomies generally allows us to:
Inductive inference in biological taxonomies generally allows us to:
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Children's resistance to the idea of species transformation primarily reflects their tendency towards:
Children's resistance to the idea of species transformation primarily reflects their tendency towards:
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Folk taxonomies are typically characterized by which of the following features?
Folk taxonomies are typically characterized by which of the following features?
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Which of the following statements best describes the role of prototypes in category formation?
Which of the following statements best describes the role of prototypes in category formation?
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What primarily drives the development of biological knowledge in early humans?
What primarily drives the development of biological knowledge in early humans?
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What defines an ethnic group?
What defines an ethnic group?
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What does ethnocentrism primarily involve?
What does ethnocentrism primarily involve?
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Which of the following best describes essentialism in social categories?
Which of the following best describes essentialism in social categories?
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What is a significant social implication of essentialism?
What is a significant social implication of essentialism?
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Which case study illustrates essentialist beliefs about social categories?
Which case study illustrates essentialist beliefs about social categories?
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What characterizes the ethnic model of nation-building?
What characterizes the ethnic model of nation-building?
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What is a limitation of essentialism in explaining social attitudes?
What is a limitation of essentialism in explaining social attitudes?
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What is a common stereotype associated with the blacksmith caste in West Africa?
What is a common stereotype associated with the blacksmith caste in West Africa?
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What does the term 'jus sanguinis' refer to in the context of nation-building?
What does the term 'jus sanguinis' refer to in the context of nation-building?
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Which phrase is commonly associated with an ethnocentric perspective?
Which phrase is commonly associated with an ethnocentric perspective?
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What drives the in-group favoritism as demonstrated by the Minimal Group paradigm?
What drives the in-group favoritism as demonstrated by the Minimal Group paradigm?
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Which of the following best explains the concept of coalitional psychology?
Which of the following best explains the concept of coalitional psychology?
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How is stability in collective actions maintained among group members?
How is stability in collective actions maintained among group members?
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What role do costly actions play in group commitment within coalitions?
What role do costly actions play in group commitment within coalitions?
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What is a primary problem encountered in coalitional psychology related to resource sharing?
What is a primary problem encountered in coalitional psychology related to resource sharing?
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Which behavior exemplifies the group-oriented actions observed in sports hooliganism?
Which behavior exemplifies the group-oriented actions observed in sports hooliganism?
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What does the concept of coalitional psychology suggest about human survival?
What does the concept of coalitional psychology suggest about human survival?
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What tends to motivate individuals in coalitions to enforce group commitment?
What tends to motivate individuals in coalitions to enforce group commitment?
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What is the primary basis for membership in ethnic groups?
What is the primary basis for membership in ethnic groups?
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How does ethnocentrism typically affect perceptions of other cultures?
How does ethnocentrism typically affect perceptions of other cultures?
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What is an example of essentialism in social categories?
What is an example of essentialism in social categories?
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In the context of social categories, what does biological essentialism suggest?
In the context of social categories, what does biological essentialism suggest?
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What is a consequence of viewing minorities as having an internal essence?
What is a consequence of viewing minorities as having an internal essence?
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What commonly occurs with essentialist beliefs regarding a social category?
What commonly occurs with essentialist beliefs regarding a social category?
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Which of the following best captures the attitude of blacksmiths as a caste in West Africa?
Which of the following best captures the attitude of blacksmiths as a caste in West Africa?
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How can ethnicity influence modern societal dynamics?
How can ethnicity influence modern societal dynamics?
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What stereotype is often associated with the Ainu people in Japan?
What stereotype is often associated with the Ainu people in Japan?
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Which social structure within Rwanda contributed to the genocide in 1994?
Which social structure within Rwanda contributed to the genocide in 1994?
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What is one factor that complicates essentialist explanations of group perception?
What is one factor that complicates essentialist explanations of group perception?
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How do essentialist views impact social attitudes and practices?
How do essentialist views impact social attitudes and practices?
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What do endogamy norms and occupational restrictions contribute to in a society?
What do endogamy norms and occupational restrictions contribute to in a society?
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Which factor is suggested by Kurzban's hypothesis regarding the concept of race?
Which factor is suggested by Kurzban's hypothesis regarding the concept of race?
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Which method is used to measure the flexibility of racial distinctions in social interactions?
Which method is used to measure the flexibility of racial distinctions in social interactions?
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What historical trend often leads to the ostracism of specific social categories?
What historical trend often leads to the ostracism of specific social categories?
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Study Notes
Ethnoscience and Folk Biology
- Ethnoscience: The study of cultural knowledge about the natural world, often including ethnobotany (plant knowledge) and folk medicine.
- Folk biology is the intuitive and culturally shared understanding of biological concepts, particularly prevalent in non-Western cultures.
Distinctive Properties of Living Things
- Reproduction: Organisms produce offspring, a defining characteristic of life.
- Complexity: Biological systems are highly intricate and multilayered.
- Irreversible Patterns: Growth and development follow specific, irreversible paths.
- Intrinsic Features: Living things possess essential traits that define their observable properties.
- Homeostasis: Biological entities regulate themselves internally to maintain stability.
Human Cognition and Biology
- Human understanding of biology developed through foraging, driven by needs for identifying safe foods, avoiding toxins, and adapting to seasonal resource availability.
- This knowledge was crucial for survival and influenced human evolution.
Biological Taxonomies
- Folk taxonomies are structured in nested categories, similar to scientific classifications.
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Key levels:
- Folk-kingdom: The broadest level, such as animals and plants.
- Life-forms: General groupings, like fish, mammals, or trees.
- Generic Species: Common species, for example, dog or oak.
- Folk-specific: Particular types within a species, such as Amur Tiger.
- Folk-varietal: Specific varieties within a species, like a toy poodle.
Concepts and Mental Representation
- Prototypes: Typical examples that represent categories, leading to "fuzzy" or graded membership.
- Essentialism: The belief that members of a species share an underlying "essence" that explains their features.
Inductive Inference
- Taxonomic principles allow us to generalize properties from one individual to the entire category (e.g., if one cow has a placenta, we assume all cows likely do).
- This principle supports reasoning and learning by inference within categories.
Children's Understanding of Biological Categories
- Children naturally exhibit essentialist thinking.
- They resist the idea of one species transforming into another (e.g., a dog turning into a cat).
Ethnicity
- Refers to social categories often based on language, religion, and shared cultural practices.
- These categories are typically exclusive, with individuals belonging to only one.
- There is often an assumption of common descent, inheritance, and unchangeable membership.
Ethnocentrism
- The tendency to view one's own culture as central and others as different, inferior, or exotic.
- It manifests in various aspects of culture, including language, stereotypes, cuisine, dress, and more.
Essentialism and Social Categories
- Essentialism applied to social categories means perceiving groups as having inherent, unchanging qualities.
- Some social categories are treated as "species" with traits seen as biologically inherited, leading to endogamy (in-group marriage).
- This can lead to stereotyping and social separation.
Case Studies in Social Essentialism
- Cagots: Medieval France and Spain, marginalized group perceived as inherently different with stereotypes about sexuality and cleanliness. This led to social isolation and limited roles.
- Blacksmiths in West Africa: Viewed as a distinct caste with stereotypes about appearance and behavior, often enduring ostracism even as traditional blacksmithing declined.
- Hindu Caste System: Classifications viewed as natural and inherited with distinctions in occupation, purity, and diet. Strict endogamy and segregation are maintained by beliefs in essential differences.
Essentialism and Nationalism
- Non-ethnic model: A republic based on shared values and citizenship rather than ethnicity (e.g., the US and post-revolutionary France).
- Ethnic model: Nationhood based on common ancestry, language, and cultural history, often emphasizing jus sanguinis (right of blood) (e.g., various European nationalist movements and Japan's nationalism from the 1890s to 1940s).
Essentialism's Limitations in Explaining Social Attitudes
- While essentialist thinking explains some stereotypes and group distinctions, it doesn't fully account for emotional responses like fear or hatred.
- It struggles to explain "single drop" phenomena, where one group's "essence" is considered more impactful, often negatively.
- Essentialism may be a factor in attitudes but is only part of the explanation for complex social dynamics.
Cultural Theories of Disease
- Different cultures have varied explanations for illness, including:
- Humorism: Imbalance of bodily fluids (e.g., black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, blood) causing disease.
- Miasma theory: Belief in "poisoned air" or "foul air" spreading illness.
Intuitive Expectations about Disease and Contagion
- Automatic, non-reflective intuitions about disease often involve:
- Invisible vectors: Diseases are caused by unseen entities (e.g., germs, "cooties").
- Any mode of contact: Transmission can occur through touch, breath, and shared food.
- Dose indifference: Belief that even minimal contact with a disease vector can cause infection.
Evolutionary Background of Disease Avoidance
- Exposure to toxins, bacteria, and parasites during human evolution created a need for protective psychological responses.
- The trade-off between hunger and disgust helped balance nutritional needs with avoiding potential pathogens.
- Disgust evolved as a reaction to harmful substances, contributing to survival by triggering avoidance behaviors.
Disgust as a Protective Mechanism
- Disgust causes a visceral reaction aimed at deterring contact with harmful substances.
- Common triggers: bodily fluids, rotten foods, insects, and parasites, all associated with potential pathogens.
Disgust Across Cultures
- While disgust is a universal emotion, the triggers can vary by culture due to differences in dietary and hygiene practices.
- Examples include disgust at certain foods, like grubs or fermented cheese, which may be nutritious but carry pathogen risks.
Development of Eating Preferences and Disgust
- Children's eating preferences and disgust reactions develop in stages:
- Stage 1 (under 2 years): Omnivorous, exploratory eating.
- Stage 2 (2-5 years): Food separation and neophobia (fear of new things).
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Description
Explore the connections between ethnoscience, folk biology, and the distinctive properties of living organisms. This quiz delves into how cultural knowledge shapes our understanding of life, reproduction, and homeostasis. Engage with key concepts that highlight the intricate relationship between human cognition and biological systems.